A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of methods and apparatuses for vehicle liftgates, and more specifically to a wireless control system for a vehicle liftgate.
B. Brief History
It is well known in the art to provide a liftgate on the rear of a vehicle having a cargo hold or bed. The liftgate raises and lowers on demand by engaging actuators that power the liftgate. When the liftgate is in a raised position, the liftgate platform is at the level height of the vehicle bed, and cargo can be loaded and/or unloaded from the bed. When the liftgate is in a lowered position, cargo can be loaded and/or unloaded onto the liftgate platform. Typically, the liftgate is operated with a controller that includes buttons and/or switches that, when manipulated, engage the actuators to raise and lower the liftgate.
Applicants believe that, for safety precautions, it is better to have the liftgate operator positioned relatively close to the liftgate as the liftgate platform is raised and lowered. This makes it easy for the liftgate operator to observe the operation of the liftgate and, for example, to immediately stop the motion of the liftgate platform if the cargo appears to be unsecured. Furthermore, liftgates often do not include side panels. This permits the liftgate to fold into a compact configuration during periods of non-use. Because of the open sides on the liftgate, and particularly as the liftgate is being raised, the cargo needs to be carefully watched and handled to prevent it from falling off of the liftgate. To achieve these results, it is advantageous to fix the position the liftgate control at the rear of the vehicle so that the operator is required to be relatively close to the liftgate and can easily view the cargo while operating the liftgate.
Another known aspect of liftgates relates to the wiring typically used in connecting the components of a liftgate assembly. Typically, wire harnesses or other conductors are routed through the frame structure of the vehicle and connected to a power supply and the actuators of the liftgate. This can be a cumbersome installation process particularly in after-market installations. It would be advantageous to utilize a wireless control to send signals to the actuators of the liftgate thereby reducing or eliminating conductors that may be prone to damage during use of the liftgate.
What is needed, therefore, is a liftgate control that can be easily installed without the use of cumbersome wire harnesses and that is positioned relatively close to the liftgate. Additionally, it would advantageous to provide a wireless control that can only be operated if the operator is in plain view of the liftgate.